


spring rain story

by constant



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Angst, Banter, But With Angst, Feelings, Friendship, M/M, Tsundere Minho, Unrequited Love, an attempt on canon 2min dynamic, rest of skz mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27127733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/constant/pseuds/constant
Summary: Minho’s take on unrequited love is simple: he thinks it’s stupid.But that's before he experienced it himself, before the push and pull of their unconventional friendship, before everything.Before Kim Seungmin.
Relationships: Kim Seungmin/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 24
Kudos: 213
Collections: SKZ Jukebox Fest Speed Round





	spring rain story

**Author's Note:**

> here's the outcome after multiple drop out considerations, some packs of cold medicine, and a considerate email for an extension (ty so much mods!! <3) - 2min angst! @_@ 
> 
> written for skzjb speed round, inspired by the legendary song [hug me](https://open.spotify.com/track/1OQ9Xyfexlpl6Kq5oOxuBU?si=VNX3JLTLTFuViqHZws3gaw) by the legends, iKON

_If unrequited love is still love, will my heart be at ease?_

_- **Hug Me, iKON**_

Minho’s take on unrequited love is simple: _he thinks it’s stupid._

He cannot comprehend how Felix and Jisung still join in on the second-lead characters’ miseries in dramas when the main couples are set and obvious right from the get-go, all with their assured ‘ _happy endings’_ too. 

“Maybe if you tried it yourself, hyung, you would understand.” Felix defends, sticking out his tongue at him before taking a sip of his water. You’ll never see him without his bright red insulated tumbler. When you ask him what’s inside, he always responds with, ‘water’. The answer is always ‘water’. 

Minho snorts. “ _What_? Fall in love?” 

“No.” The response is quick, plain, and matter-of-fact. Felix’s gaze is fixed on the screen, and he doesn’t even spare Minho a glance as he says, “Break your heart.” 

Slightly surprised by their friend’s nonchalance, Minho turns to look at Jisung, in hopes that the younger would explain further. Jisung’s already staring at him, eyes as blank as Felix’s tone had been. After a second, Jisung shrugs, and his attention is back on the television screen. 

The three settle into silence, with only the sound of the tv filling the room, and the whirling of his thoughts to render Minho distracted for the rest of the episode. 

_Fall in love._

As the words string together in his mind, a certain face pops in his head, and he suddenly remembers, "Didn't Seungmin say he's coming over?" 

Jisung shakes his head, giving him a side glance before gluing his eyes back on the screen. "Cancelled. Forgot he had a date." 

Minho only hums, though he couldn't brush off the subtle disappointment. 

Felix's words echo in his mind - _break your heart._

Well, yeah. Minho is yet to experience heartbreak, which explains his shallow take on unrequited love. 

Little does he know that he’s on the brink of experiencing it himself, and is right about to change his opinion on the topic.

**___________________**   
****

Minho is propped on the kitchen table, quietly having his 'free breakfast'. It’s way too early in the morning, rays of sunlight illuminating the colorful grains on his bowl, making them glow. The tenants are probably still snoring in their respective rooms, judging from the quiet and isolated apartment. Minho helped himself through the front door without any heads up. Texting them would lose the element of surprise. 

He wants to be found like _this_ \- relaxed, fully awake, and taking advantage of their hospitality. He knows it would piss him off, and if he's honest, that's solely the reason for him to come this early. 

"You’re here.” 

Minho looks up to see Seungmin entering the kitchen. He's still in his pajamas, and the attempt to fix his hair is obvious from the way it looks a little flattened down but a few select strands are sticking out on the top of his head. 

“ _Again_.” The younger proceeds, eyeing the cereal bowl in front of Minho with half-distaste, half-indifference. “You might as well pay rent." 

Minho hides a smile. 

The younger is always cranky in the mornings, and that's solely the reason why he came this early. 

He sets his spoon down with more force than he intended to, the impact making some of the contents swoosh out of the bowl. "Good morning to you, too, Seungmo." 

"Don't call me that." He says firmly, back against Minho as he goes to the cupboards to fish out some tea bags. 

If anything, that only pushes Minho to repeat the nickname. "Good morning, _Seungmo_. Say it back." 

Seungmin heads to the table with his steaming cup, rolling his eyes as he slumps down on the seat. "I'm serious, Minho. You're even consuming our supply." 

Minho purses his lip at the informal address. He still can't say he's used to this, even when the younger calls him by his name more times than he has ever called him 'hyung.' 

"You're not serious." 

"What?" 

Minho looks at him. The steam from his cup fog over his face and he catches sight of Seungmin's doe eyes staring back at him. His eyebrows arch into a frown, and if Minho should be honest, that's the sole reason he came this early. To piss him off. To see that scowl. To fight the urge to caress it away. 

"What?" Seungmin presses. 

Minho composes himself, one corner of his lips turning into a half-smile, "I would know when you're serious. You call me 'hyung'." 

That's a lie actually. Up until now, he still couldn't tell whether being addressed politely by the younger is a sign of being serious or just another one of his ways to taunt him. (Though he doesn't know how that would serve as one, but this is Seungmin we're talking about.)

"I'd rather throw this scalding tea all over me." 

"Yeah?" Minho leans back on his chair, amused. "Do it." 

He couldn't tell how long they sat there in silence, staring at each other - Seungmin sporting a challenging look as if he's actually considering pouring the tea all over himself, and Minho, who's just finding amusement in the way his brows knit. He knows he wouldn't do it; Seungmin's not stupid. But he _is_ competitive, and he hates Minho's guts so much he would do absolutely anything to prove him wrong. 

Before anything can happen, however, Han Jisung materializes into the room. 

"Morning, my darlings." 

Jisung's presence dissipates the tension; Minho returns his attention to his cereal, but the mess he made on the counter makes him lose all his appetite. Jisung whistles a Disney song as he rifles through glasswares to make himself his morning drink. 

A few seconds later, a glass of water is placed between Minho and Seungmin. (Seems like Felix has rubbed off on someone.) 

Jisung slumps down on the seat between them, looking from one to the other.

Minho decides to fill him in. "You're just in time for the show, Sung. Seungmin here was just about to pour tea all over himself." 

Jisung turns to Seungmin, not even shocked, just curious. He has been with the two long enough to know that this is a normal occurrence.

When Seungmin speaks, his tone matches Minho's mocking one. 

"Who told you that, _hyung_?" 

There's no other way for Minho to conceal the grin that creeps on his face, so he lets out a bark of laughter. 

Still looking from between the two, Jisung asks, "Since when do you call him 'hyung'?" 

"Since he has worn out his welcome." 

"Oh yeah!" Jisung fixes Minho with a glare as if only realizing that the older has been taking their hospitality for granted. Jisung does know, of course. He just doesn't care. But with Seungmin around, he should at least pretend that it bothers him, or else he'll be sent out on the streets.

Seungmin gets on his feet as Jisung keeps up with his front. "Hyung, you should totally stop-" Minho raises a brow, waiting. "-eating our cereal." 

"I'll pay you back, geez." Then he adds, in case either of them takes it the wrong way, "For the cereal." 

"Or you can just stop coming over like you own the place." Seungmin walks out of the kitchen, heading towards his bedroom. 

Before he can shut the door behind him, Minho yells, "You'll miss me when I'm gone!" 

"Definitely won't!" 

And the door slams, the sound echoing through the entire apartment. 

**___________________**

Minho likes to rile him up, the same way Seungmin doesn't seem to want to back down from a tease or a sarcastic jab. His reaction is ever the only reaction which humors Minho. He doesn't laugh it off like Felix. He doesn't stutter dumbly like Jisung. He doesn't take it to heart like Hyunjin, and he doesn't take revenge which almost resulted in a loss of both eyebrows like Jeongin. 

Seungmin retaliates _quick, smart,_ and almost impressively. 

Minho would make faces at him from across the street, and Seungmin would simply make them back, despite the public humiliation. 

Seungmin doesn't always receive the short end of the stick. Sometimes, he lifts it up and firmly swings the thing in Minho's direction. 

He has this dumb jingle exclusively used to piss Minho off, and he changes up the lyrics every time. The younger would also slap his leg for no absolute reason and speed off before Minho can react and get to him. Minho also knows that he pretends to mix up his cats on purpose, knowing how the older is the most protective of his pets and is subject to be sensitive about them. 

Seungmin also hangs up on him mid-sentence, and if Minho ever slips on the floor and breaks his arm as a result, Seungmin would laugh his head off before helping him up. He knows this because Seungmin said so himself.

Because of their unconventional _friendly_ dynamic, their friends call them the divorced couple. 

And because Seungmin always leaves him intrigued, Minho's attention is mostly focused on him. (Probably even more than he has planned on.) 

**___________________**

Minho never thought he'd find himself grocery shopping, but after another rain check from a certain someone and hearing the reason behind it from Felix, he finds himself rushing through the aisles with Jisung, the younger offering to push the cart for him.

He knows the effort won't probably make things better, but it's worth the shot.

“So they fought again.” Jisung casually says as he shoves the front of the cart on to Minho's back. The older is too occupied to call him out for it, even though it's obvious he did it on purpose.

“I know.” Minho replies just as casually, though he gets a flash of an image of Seungmin’s red-rimmed eyes and a surge of anger courses through him. 

Minho walks past the instant coffee and heads straight for the familiar box on the far end of the shelf. Though neither he and Jisung drink tea, he grabs one pack and tosses it in the cart. 

**___________________**

He doesn't say it out loud, but Seungmin likes to live up to their nickname. And because divorced couples don't normally _hug_ , Seungmin doesn't attempt one with him. 

Minho has seen the younger envelop their other friends in all kinds of embraces. 

Hyunjin received a pat on the head as Seungmin held him close when he cried after failing an exam. Jisung had a quick full hug on his birthday. Felix was pulled into a side hug after Seungmin tried his brownies. (It must have tasted so good to elicit such a reaction from him.) And Jeongin gets cuddles almost every day, for no reason. 

Minho, on the other hand, has always watched from the back. Sometimes, he spreads his arms out jokingly, pretending to wait for his turn, but like always, he's left ignored. 

Maybe he just doesn't hug his _hyungs_ , he thinks. But this thought is immediately put out of question when Seungmin receives a surprise visit from his high school senior, Chan, and the younger initiates a goodbye hug before the former takes his leave. 

Maybe it's just the way they are. Inserting physical contact into the kind of dynamic they have seems so far-fetched. 

But. 

But they're still friends, aren't they? 

Maybe it's not even about their dynamic anymore. Maybe it's not even about the way his friends get to have something he couldn't. 

A hug. 

Call him cliché, but that's all he asks, that's all he wants. 

He doesn't even care about his unreciprocated feelings, doesn't even care if Seungmin doesn't, _couldn't, wouldn't,_ feel the same way. 

Maybe it's about that. ****

**___________________**   
****

" _Your Highness_." 

Minho finds him in the kitchen, huddled around textbooks, eyes blotchy and tired. 

"What are you doing?" 

Minho turns away so the younger wouldn't see how he sets his jaw in slight vexation. He places the bags on the counter and takes out the goods one by one, not bothering to answer Seungmin's questioning look. 

He shows him the cereal box with a look that says, _'here, I'm paying it back'_ before stacking it up on the shelf. Then the milk. Then the strawberry jam…

Minho obnoxiously presents him every product before putting them in their places. 

Seungmin doesn't speak up until he gets to the pack of tea, "I didn't know you drink tea." 

"It's for you." 

"What?" 

Minho turns to look at him, leaning against the counter. He knows Seungmin doesn't like to be pitied but he couldn't help the pang in his chest as he catches sight of his awful state. Now that he has taken a good look, he notices the dark circles under the younger's eyes.

Minho almost asks if he's okay. 

"You look like shit." 

To his relief, Seungmin only purses his lips as if annoyed, one of his common reactions to Minho's blunt remarks. 

"I stayed up all night studying." 

_You expect me to believe that?_

"Whatever." Minho starts to head out, but not before saying, "Try not to do it again." 

**___________________**

His name's Seo Changbin. The boyfriend. 

Minho only met him a few times. He doesn't have a particular opinion about him, except maybe - _he's okay._

When Seungmin broke the news that they're dating, he has looked the happiest Minho has ever seen him. There's this gleam in his eyes whenever Seungmin talks about him, the aura he exudes when he recalls a memory, like a magnetizing force that even when Minho doesn't really give two shits about what they did in their date, he couldn't seem to look away. 

And then he thinks, _I could never do that - make Seungmin smile like that._

Changbin is the only one to have that kind of effect on him - to make Seungmin incredibly happy, to make him look utterly beautiful with the brightness he radiates.

And for that, Minho thinks he's _okay_. 

**___________________**

But it happened again. 

It's 8 pm, and Minho's getting ready for a drink out with his friends. 

He pauses by the door to slip his coat on, catching a thud of footsteps out the hallway - not loud to be disturbing but just enough to be discernible - seeming as if the sound is coming right outside his door, but Minho dismisses it as his neighbors simply coming home from work. 

He's proven wrong when he finally opens the door, and the retreating figure backtracks, turning towards him with widened eyes and unruly hair. 

Then Seungmin looks away - an embarrassed gesture - scratching his nape as he opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out. 

And Minho's just shocked. Seungmin never visits his apartment, at least, not alone, and especially not without a heads up.

"Seungmo-" 

And there is a quick second where Seungmin seems to steel himself, his jaw tightening, his knuckles clenching into fists. For a moment, Minho thinks he's mad at him, that he must have done something to set him off, perhaps a joke he missed that has somehow gone too far, but then he catches sight of his clouded faltering gaze and he realizes that the younger is merely trying to get a hold of his emotions. 

"You were the closest-" The rest of the words catch in his throat. Seungmin stares at the floor, his chest heaving. He's taking short ragged breaths. Crying. Seungmin is crying. 

There's no way for Minho to know what exactly transpired. 

But he's certain that it happened again. It happened again.

Anger sets on him like fire. Seungmin is whimpering in front of him, tears spilling to the floor. Minho doesn't know what to do. He could invite him in, offer tea. Seungmin is crying. Minho doesn't know what to do. He wants to punch somebody. He could punch somebody. He can hunt him down and throw one punch. Just one. Or two. Seungmin is crying, and it's shattering his heart because there is nothing Minho could do. He can punch him. Minho can punch him. He wants to punch him. He wants to- 

His thoughts slither out like steam from a pipe, not quite clearing out of his mind completely, but splaying out in different directions until he couldn't grasp any of them anymore, until the only thing he could think of are the arms clinging on to him, and the chest that is warmly pressed against his own. 

Seungmin sobs into his shoulder, the words muffling as he tries to explain what happened, and why he's there. 

"Ssh. It's okay." Minho runs a palm over his head in a comforting gesture. "You don't have to tell me anything." 

With these words, Seungmin's hold on him tightens, and Minho starts to hate himself for getting consciously tuned in at the fact that _Seungmin's hugging him._

It's warm. 

Good. 

_Better_.

It's better than he has ever imagined. 

And he knows that this means nothing. That it could have easily been Jisung who's Seungmin's embracing. Or Felix. Or Hyunjin. Or Jeongin. 

Minho's apartment just happened to be closer to where he was last. The quickest way he could get to comfort, to let his guard down and succumb to vulnerability. 

Minho knows nothing would change after this. Seungmin would still run back to Changbin. He always does. 

And like always, Minho would be left wondering, and wondering. And waiting, and hoping, and wishing, arms outstretched like he always does when he waits for Seungmin to hug him as well. And like always, Minho would be left ignored and he'd drop his hands to his sides pathetically.

Minho used to frown at the notion of unrequited love because isn't it stupid to call something so painful and so dumb as 'love'? 

Pining over someone who already belongs to someone else. Having feelings for a friend that could never reciprocate. 

Hiding. Waiting. Hoping.

It's pathetic. 

It's all pathetic, but it's love. 

It's _still_ love. 

He feels Seungmin loosen his grip around him for a startling second, and Minho responds automatically by wrapping his arms around him tighter, afraid to let the moment go. But also because tears have made their way in the corner of his eyes and he doesn't want the younger to see that. 

Seungmin relaxes back into the embrace, and Minho's heart races at the same time it breaks. 

He knows it means nothing. 

Seungmin would be gone the next moment, back to where he belongs, and Minho would still be here, waiting, hoping. 

It's still gonna hurt - for as long as Minho harbors his feelings, it's always gonna hurt - but he knows that what he feels for Seungmin is _love_ , and that is enough to partly put his heart at ease.

  
  



End file.
